Mighty marlin draw anglers
Taranaki’s marlin fishing has been so good that it’s attracting people from around the country, and even from across the ditch.
Southlander Jason Robertson travelled more than 2000 kilometres from Riversdale, near Gore, for a week-long fishing trip with four others, including Australian Joseph Brown, from Bundaberg, Queensland.
On Sunday, the final day, Robertson caught the largest marlin of the week, at 156.8 kilograms . Earlier, Brown caught his first marlin, which weighed 129.6kg.
The same day, the New Plymouth Sport Fishing and Underwater Club reported 12 marlin had been caught.
‘‘ ... it’s the first marlin I’ve ever caught,’’ Robertson said.
They fished off the coast of New Plymouth, at a place called
Canterbury, from 7am and didn’t manage to hook the marlin until after 11.
Robertson said he managed to haul it in all by himself. ‘‘It was tail wrapped so it wasn’t doing a lot,’’ he said.
‘‘We tried to tag it because we had caught one earlier in the week and we thought it was a wee bit much to take two, but the way it came in it wasn’t very healthy so we had to take it in.’’
Robertson said he had estimated the fish at between 120 and 130kg so was shocked to see it weigh in at 156kg.
‘‘ ... to go over 150kg unreal to be honest.’’
Robertson nor Brown had entered in the 2019 NZ Sport Fishing Council Nationals Competition that is happening from February 16 until 23. it was